A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing
by Holly's husband
Summary: 2 years since Hybras, what will Happen when Holly comes to stay at Fowl Manor? With New Friends & Old Enemies, will Arty & Holly finally realise their feelings for one another? For elf is elf and man is man, and never the twain shall meet.
1. Babysitter

A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing (An Artemis Fowl-Holly Short Fanfiction) Chapter 1: The Babysitter 

Holly Short was having a bad day. A really bad day. As she sped down the crowded corridor towards the main exit of Police Plaza, she cursed Foaly's diabolical lack of communication skills.

"D'arvitting pony can't even remember a d'arvitting answerphone message" swore Holly. Then again, Foaly's supposedly huge brain being mainly occupied by his work, his wife Caballine and year-old daughter Equeste. It was a miracle his tin foil hat didn't burst from the pressure.

Holly had seen her fair share of mothers cooing over pictures of their newborns, but had not discovered the true meaning of the phrase 'sick to death' until Foaly had brought in Equeste's baby photos, and had continued to proclaim to anyone who would listen, how his daughter would grow up to be the second most brilliant member of the people after, of course, himself.

Indeed, since the Hybras mission it seemed that she had become favourite aunt & babysitter to half the children in Haven City. While a LEP Major's salary was good compared to those of some of the lower ranked officers', it was by no means plentiful compared with some of the civilian salaries being paid by Haven's many large corporations. At first, Holly had welcomed the extra few thousand credits for looking after the pampered princes & princesses of rich fairies, but she had quickly grown tired of being the rent-a-hero babysitter; sitting in someone else's home when she wanted to be in bed listening to 5 year old fangirls demanding in-detail recounting of her adventures as their bedtime story.

Though she continued to baby-sit for friends (Holly's mind flashed back to taking care of 4-month old Equeste, and the problems having 6 limbs rather than the usual 4 caused), the upper class elves had long discovered that, unless they wanted to get up close and personal with the latest Neutrino model, they were to leave Major Short well alone.

Thus it came to be that Holly was running 20 minutes late for that evening's appointment with Tallulah Kelp. Foaly-his forgetting of Trouble's request for a babysitter being the cause of Holly's lateness-had rung ahead to inform Juliet of the Delay.

As Holly hopped onto the metro (having decided that in Haven, a personal shuttle was a pointless waste of money), she took the opportunity to reflect on two of her best friends' relationship. Had anyone told her before, Holly reckoned she would have bet every gold bar in Haven that such a relationship would never happen, let alone work. Yet from the moment they met she has seen the spark between the Butler girl and the LEP Captain, who had been promoted to the same rank as Holly after the birth of his daughter.

But in spite of her reservations, Trouble & Juliet had become one of the most devoted (and famous) couples in haven. Of course, when they were seen together it was almost impossible to tell they were of different species-Trouble always having been a very tall fairy and Juliet a rather small-and very strong-woman, with both of them standing around 4'8'' tall. However, it was their daughter Tallulah, rather than Mr & Mrs Kelp, who was the true celebrity of the family.

Being the first-cross species child in several Millennia, and having been conceived naturally, 2-year old Tallulah was the darling of the fairy world. Her birth, and progress to date, (not that Holly thought much could be derived from the very limited progress of an infant half-elf, even one who could speak moderate English, Irish & Gnomish), had persuaded many fairies that re-establishing contact with humans-'mud people' having become an unacceptable slur overnight-was a distinct possibility.

Unfortunately some elves-particularly those who had read an interview Juliet had given to _Mesmer_ magazine-had decided to take matters into their own hands. After the article was published, in which Juliet gave a rather 'vivid' description of human men, Holly had ended up chasing groups of female fairies across the surface, trying to prevent them doing more 'detailed study' into the validity of Juliet's assertions.

Still, Holly was looking forward to taking care of her goddaughter for the night, while Juliet took Trouble to see her favourite musical-'The Phantom of the Opera'-in London. Holly had put in some extra hours to get Trouble a half-day overground pass, in exchange for which Trouble had arranged for her to have 3 weeks off, to rest and recuperate from the strains of being the LEP's second most senior officer.

Holly had been so lost in thought she had failed to notice her feet carrying her off the metro & up to the Kelp's front door. Gathering herself, she rapped the brass knocker 3 times on the green front door.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a blond haired whiz shot toward her.

"AUNTIE HOLLY!!!!" Screamed Tallulah Kelp, happily colliding with Holly's leg. Holly could not help but be amazed at how like Juliet the 2 year old was. Smart grey eyes and pointed elfin ears aside, she was a miniature version of Juliet, from the flowing platinum blonde hair, right down to the (slightly annoying) tendency to ask several questions at once.

"How've you been Auntie Holly? Did you see Daddy in _Mesmer?_ There's a really good film on tonight can I watch it? Can we stay up late tonight, drink Cola and eat ice cream?" Fortunately, Holly was saved from the girl's incessant questioning by the arrival of her father.

"Now, Tally, let Auntie Holly get in the door first, there's plenty of time for questions later" Trouble said jovially. "Go and play with your WWE figures until Holly's read". Apparently a love of wrestling was another trait Juliet shared with her daughter.

"Hiya Trub" Holly greeted as she pulled him into a firm hug.

"Good to see ya Holls" replied Trouble as he flashed her a poster-perfect smile. It was interesting, Holly noted, how wrong many people had been about Trouble Kelp. For years, everyone had told her that the reason he spent so much time around her was because he was madly in love with her. Yet nothing had ever happened between them, even though they'd been best friends while going through school & the LEP academy. And despite the remarks and 'knowing glances' folks gave them when they saw them together, they had remained simply good friends ever since. So good that, upon Tally's birth, Trouble had instantly asked Holly to be godmother.

"Holly!" both Holly & Trouble looked up as Juliet came down the stairs at a run, her curvaceous body supporting a gorgeous midnight blue off-the-shoulder dress.

"Oh Juliet you look fantastic!" exclaimed Holly as she admired the other woman's attire, while wishing she had occasion to wear something so beautiful. "How much was it-it must have been very expensive-it's absolutely exquisite"

"It was quite a bit" admitted Juliet "but Trouble insisted I should have it-something about 'the LEP's poster boy's supposed to be good looking, so his wife should look heavenly'". The blonde placed a loving kiss on her husband's flushed cheek, and Holly found herself wishing she could find the same sort of happiness two of her best friends had found with each other.

"So Holly" Trouble started "what are you planning to do with the 3 weeks you've got free?"

"I'm not sure" Holly replied. "I mean, Mulch is still running the PI firm with Doodah Day, and they're snowed under with work at the moment. You two are busy here, and all the psychotically dangerous, world-threatening maniacs are either dead or locked in Howler's Peak. I guess I could give my flat a clean, but that'll only take a few days. All in all I picked a boring time to take 3 weeks off."

"Come off it Holly, it's obvious what you need" chided Juliet.

"What?" asked the elf, curiosity starting to rouse its head.

"A holiday!" exclaimed Juliet as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "3 weeks of relaxation away from Police Plaza and away from Haven. Trust me, it'll do you a world of good".

"But there's nowhere to go" complained Holly. "Atlantis is just as busy as Haven, if not more so. And there'll still be the problem of people recognising me and demanding Autographs every few yards. I won't get a minute's peace.

"Well why confine yourself to the lower elements?" pushed Juliet. "Last I heard, Artemis was quite lonely. Fowl manor's an awfully big for just him & Dom, what with his parents having taken the twins to Rome for the next 3 months".

Holly looked at her shoes. She hadn't talked to Artemis for nearly a year. Though they had chatted regularly since returning from Hybras, the calls had become less and less frequent until one day they just stopped. Holly felt slightly guilty about this, since after their last mission she had thrown herself into her career, trying to make up the 3 years she had lost, and put herself in line for the Commander's job once Vein retired. Though Artemis had asked her to come & stay several times, she had always found a reason not to go. Now though, it seemed she had finally run out of excuses.

"Are you sure?" she asked "I mean, will he want me around while he spends all day hacking into some big bank or corporation's accounts?"

"Oh Holly, don't be silly" laughed Juliet. "Artemis doesn't do that any more-I think the Spiro incident put him on the straight & narrow. Anyway, he's loosened up quite a bit in the last year and a bit-he's quite good company now-hard as that may seem to believe".

"Ok then, Fowl Manor it is" muttered Holly. "I'll call him later".

"No need" piped up Trouble "I already did. You're on the 9am shuttle to Tara tomorrow morning, and Mulch has already packed for you-your stuff is already at the Shuttleport.

Holly sighed. It seemed every avenue of escape had been quickly & meticulously sealed off. Anyway, she thought, spending 3 week at the manor couldn't be too bad. Besides, seeing what a 'loosened up' Artemis was like could be a laugh.

As the front door closed behind Trouble & Juliet's retreating backs, Holly pondered whether, having not spoken for almost a year, Artemis would want her to come & stay at all.


	2. I Love it When You Call

A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing

**Author's Note: Thankyou to everyone who reviewed with nice comments about the story, please continue to do so-sorry for taking so long to update, been v.busy with schoolwork-enjoy this chapter, will hopefully have another one for you soon. **

Holly ducked as she stepped off the shuttle and into Tara shuttleport. Though she had been around average height for a fairy since her mid fifties, she had grown by at least 4 inches over the last 2 years. Then again, fairy puberty could go on till 200, depending on genetics and whether you were elf, dwarf, pixie or sprite. Holly supposed this was why Opal Koboi has been known for her mood swings. 'A 110 year old teenager, but still a teenager' Juliet had once remarked-and Holly could not agree more.

Holly sighed as the customs clerk double took as he looked into her mismatching eyes-one hazel brown, the other electric blue. No matter where she went, people still couldn't get over the idea of her carrying a part of Artemis Fowl II around in her head. Although it had, at first, seemed strange even to her, she had grown fond of the clashing colours-another reminder of how Holly Short would never be just your average fairy. 

As she strolled out through the concealed shuttleport entrance and into the rolling Irish countryside, Holly wondered at the beauty of the surface of earth, which had for so long, been the preserve of humans alone. The pink blossoms on the tree, the chattering of the stream and the song of the birds all spoke to her, like a mother to a child. The caverns of Haven might be majestic, the waterfalls of Atlantis graceful, but to Holly, the rolling countryside of Ireland was where her heart said 'home'. 

While she walked, Holly reflected on what she had found during her perusal of Artemis' LEP file. Juliet's insistence that Artemis had changed from the fairy-kidnapping, money-chasing criminal he has been when they first met had piqued Holly's curiosity, and she had taken the opportunity to find out just how true these claims might be. What she had discovered had given her even more food for thought. 

According to the file (although there was almost no evidence linking any of it to Artemis), several private art vaults had had priceless works removed from them, with no sign of forced entry or any thief's presence-only for the missing works to turn up on the doorstep of a large, public gallery nearby-along with a complete letter of donation for the piece. 

Also, the file told her, an unknown hacker had broken into several large banking corporations' accounts, getting past security systems even Foaly would have been proud of, later posting the information found onto the internet, showing the world that the banks had been defrauding their customers of extremely large sums of money. 

And, (Holly becoming more disbelieving as the file went on) an unknown Indian physician by the name of Ranatunga T Mishfaul had posted a design for a new drug to the BBC headquarters in London. When examined, the drug turned out to be a Cancer vaccine that would prevent 80 of recipients from ever developing cancer. 

Artemis, it would seem, had become a genuine modern-day Robin Hood, as humans would call him. Not that Robin Hood was human, of course. He was an elf, by the Name of Robynn Kelp, a distant grandfather of Trouble & Grub. For an elf, shooting a bow with a hood on was as easy as kiss-my-hand. Not that Robynn had actually done it-the reason they were known as the 'Merry Men' was that the Mesmer he nailed them with was so powerful it had sent half of them bonkers, and the other half were so drunk it didn't make much difference. 

Holly was unsure what to make of the 'new' Artemis Fowl. Though his deeds (or **reported** deeds, Holly reminded herself) had been impressive, it would be interesting to see whether he had changed at all in the 2 years since they had last spoken.

As she crested the hill, Holly saw Fowl Manor laid out below her. The Golden stone of the 14th century ramparts shone in the morning sun like gold. When she had first seen the turrets and battlements that made up the fowl residence, she had immediately identified it as a prison, a method of keeping her in the presence of humans against her will. But now, knowing Artemis as she did, it seemed that the walls were actually a way to keep everybody else out-of protecting the reclusive wunderkind from the world outside. In many ways, thought Holly, Fowl Manor had been Artemis' Prison, rather than hers.

Approaching the gates to the Fowl estate, the familiar security cameras tracked her path-each lens a mechanical eye, Holly knew, for another pair of mismatching eyes that were, right now, watching her from behind a monitor buried deep behind the ancient walls. Pacing forward, the wrought iron gates swung open. So Artemis knew she was here. 

As she continued down the gravelled driveway towards the manor, the oaken front door squealed on its hinges, and a huge man stepped through the archway, walking down the front steps of the house, directly towards Holly. Age might have mellowed Domovoi Butler, but time, had, if anything, only made him more physically imposing. 

"Holly, good to see you" greeted the large Eurasian as he came near, 

"Good to see you to Butler" responded the elf, smiling. "It's been to long."

"That it has" Butler agreed "but I expect you've been busy in Haven? Second in command of the LEP must be a big responsibility?"

"It is. Training new recruits, filling in paperwork and getting some of the locker room jocks to behave themselves-there's barely any time for real policing, let alone time off."

"Protecting people's a serious business" commented Butler, knowingly "the bad guys won't take a day off just because you're not feeling well. In the jobs we do, you're on call 24/7. Try to take shortcuts, and someone will get hurt."

"So how's it going then, protecting the young master?" enquired Holly, eager to know what Artemis had been up to that wasn't on his LEP file.

"It hasn't" replied the bodyguard. "After he got back from Hybras, he insisted I train him. He said he 'valued me more as a friend than a bodyguard' and that it was not right I put myself in harm's way on account of his physical shortcomings. Personally, I think there's more to it-he's had nightmares a couple of times, but won't tell me what they're about-maybe you should ask him, you might have more luck.

"I'll give it a shot" Holly said "but I doubt he'd tell me anything more than he told you-I mean, you've been working together for so long"

"Possibly" Butler mused, "but our relationship has always been master-servant or teacher-pupil. From my point of view it always seemed that Artemis connected a lot more with you than he did me".

Holly pondered this. She and Artemis had made an excellent team, and their banter had always been devilishly quick-witted. She had seen that when she first met them, Butler and Artemis had been nothing more than bodyguard and principal. Though they had grown closer over the years, they both still seemed to be shackled by their previous roles-the difference between them, though long gone, still preventing a friendship of equals. 

"Ok, I'll ask him" promised Holly, walking up the stairs into the entrance hall. "So where is Artemis, I would've thought he'd be here to great me-then again, he wasn't exactly polite the first time I visited". Butler chuckled as he replied.

"He's upstairs in the gym", continuing at Holly's intrigued expression "after I started training him, Artemis has a fully-fitted gym and dojo installed. Said extra fitness would 'enable him to become more proficient at the combat techniques I was teaching him'. Just between you and me…" at this point Butler leant down to whisper in Holly's ear "sometimes I wonder who the kid upstairs is, and what he did with Artemis Fowl II"

'So Juliet was telling the truth' Holly thought, he curiosity aroused. "Well, I'll go find him them" she laughed, her feet settling on the marble central staircase of Fowl Manor."

"Good idea" agreed Butler "and just remind him that dinner's at seven"

"Sure thing" agreed the elf, as she began her ascent. As she reached the second floor, her pointed ears picked up the sound of music coming from down the corridor. It was a happy tune, if a little poppy for her taste, and she listened as a clipped English voice began to sing.

"I found the switch, and turned it on

I hit the dip, you carried on

I was so near, and yet so far

Are you quite sure just who you are?"

As she paced along the wood-panelled corridor, Holly came to an open door on her right. Peeking in, she found it was Artemis' new gym. Everything was arranged neatly in its place (very Artemis) with weights on one side and cardiovascular exercises on the other. While Holly admitted the place would give the gym at Police Plaza a run for its money, Artemis had obviously finished his day's workout. So, closing the door behind her, Holly continued to follow the music along the corridor, reasoning that with only Artemis and Butler at home, the source of the music was probably in Artemis' room-wherever that was. As she turned a corner, she could clearly make out the singer bursting into the chorus.

"I love it when you call

I love it when you call

I love it when you call, but you never call at all

So what's the complication, it's only conversation

I love it when you call but you never call at all

The irony of the lyrics, based on her current situation, was not lost on Holly. As she advanced, Holly came across a wide open door on the left-hand side of the corridor. Peering in, it turned out to be just a bathroom-if any room in the manor could be called 'just a room'. Yet still there was no sign of their heir to the manor, so Holly removed her head from round the door, and continued. 

Turning left (Holly finding herself amazed at the rabbit-warren like nature of the manor when you were inside it), Holly emitted a sigh of relief as she found the half-open door to Artemis' Room. There was no mistake this time that she had found what she was looking for. The microcamera covering the entrance was one clue, the small brass sign saying on the door was, reading 'Do not enter without the express permission of Dr Artemis Fowl II, PhD.' Below this was a slightly smaller sign, which read 'exempt from above, Mr D Butler, Miss J Butler and Miss H Short'. 

'Well' thought Holly 'he put the sign up-he should be prepared for what he's gonna get-not even there to meet me when I arrived-and he knew I was coming! And it was on that thought that Holly swung the door open, to be greeted with a sight which, for the first time in her life, left LEP Captain Holly short at a complete and utter loss for words.

He was still quite short. That was the first thing she noticed. But boy, had he grown. Holly couldn't help herself has her eyes devoured every inch of exposed skin-from the taught muscles in his shoulders right down to his pert & rounded bum.

Holly had seen plenty of her friends minus clothes, both male and female, there being no women's locker room at Police Plaza. But she had never dreamed Artemis could be so…hot. 'Get yourself under control Short' a voice that sounded suspiciously like Julius Root screamed in the back of her head 'Artemis is a friend. Worse still, he's a MUD MAN! Now just get yourself under control and leave'. Remastering control of her body, Holly tried to back away from the very naked Artemis that stood in front of her, her face flushing furiously at her reaction to Artemis' body. 

Disaster struck, however, as Holly's foot found a wet patch on the wooden floor. With a crash, she slipped backward into the door and knocking over a bronze sculpture which stood on the chest of drawers beside her. Artemis spun round, Holly's clumsiness having attracted his attention, and quickly pulled a towel around himself to prevent her getting an eyeful 'not that I'd mind' Holly found herself thinking 'ooh that towel is very tight, looks like what Juliet was saying about human men was true'.

"Holly" Artemis said, concern as well as surprise and a good deal of embarrassment shining from his mismatching eyes. "It's good to see you" he greeted, as he pulled the elf to her feet. 

"It's good to see you too" said Holly, quickly realising the unintended double entendre in her words. "Not like that, I mean, not that it wasn't, oh god, I mean…It's good to be here". 

"I see" replied the young Irishman, a grin playing across his features. "Well, if you've quite finished, err, _enjoying the view_ could I get dressed pleased?

"Of, of course" stammered Holly-only just realising that Artemis was still wearing nothing but a towel. "I'll go unpack" she blurted, and, with a race as red as Commander Root on a bad day, fled the scene, leaving a bemused, half-naked Artemis alone in his room.


	3. What is this Feeling?

A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing Chapter 3-What is this Feeling?

A/N: Sorry to everyone for taking such a long time to update. I've had 2 weeks away from home, and a particularly stressful time in my home life. With exams coming up in may/june, it may be a while till the next chapter-so enjoy this one and don't forget to Review!

The door slammed shut, leaving Artemis alone in the bathroom. For a moment, the young genius just stood there stupidly, his mouth hanging open as his brain tried to work out what had just happened. 'Obviously just shock' Artemis though to himself. 'Holly can't have expected to walk in and see me like this-damn Butler; he knows I finish at 12 every day. Then again, she did look kind of cute when she blushed'.

As he wrapped a towel around himself and walked through into his bedroom, however, he immediately quashed the thought. 'Holly is a friend, Artemis-and an elf on top of that'. Artemis smiled as he pulled on his boxer shorts 'a very cute, pointy eared, red headed…OH GET A GRIP OF YOURSELF'. "This is no way to go on" he muttered to himself, pulling on a black pair of Levi's and a sky blue shirt. Since Hybras, Artemis (with Juliet's assistance) had undertaken a complete overhaul of his wardrobe. Having destroyed countless Armani suits on his adventures with the LEP, Artemis had finally decided that dressing so formally (especially when, for most of the time, the only other person in the house was Butler-his parents and siblings having moved to New York), was no longer de rigeur.

Also, the relative conformity of his new attire gave him an anonymity that Artemis enjoyed-he was no longer the arrogant aristocrat with his bodyguard when he went out, but just another Irish teenager enjoying the Dublin afternoon.

Holly's legs carried her back down to the lounge, her mind reeling from what she had just witnessed. Artemis was a friend. Not just a friend, but a human friend. 'But does that matter?' a small voice in the back of her mind whispered 'Juliet and Trouble are happy together-and he did look so'…"ENOUGH" the elf screamed.

"I should hope not" a lilting Irish voice that Holly knew all too well said from behind her "it would be no good for my ego if the first girl I've had to stay wanted to leave after only 10 minutes".

"No, it's not that Artemis" Holly said, the colour uncontrollably rising in her cheeks once again "it's just…, oh never mind." The elf smiled as she pulled him into a hug. The smell of his eau de toilette was sweet but masculine as he pulled away.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know-Butler just said to come up and find you, and I followed the music"

"Don't worry" Artemis smiled "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. If you have any other complaints please let me know."

"Oh I'm not complaining" Holly replied, an evil grin beginning to spread across her face "I quite enjoyed it-you've certainly…err…developed since I was last here."

This time it was the young Irishman's turn to blush scarlet. "Um, thank you, I guess Holly. You're looking fabulous, as ever."

Holly was surprised. It seemed Artemis had developed a sense of embarrassment as well as in other areas during her time away. And this was something she could not wait to take advantage of.

"Oh really, Arty" she swooned, eyelashes fluttering as the evil smile spread even wider. "So what is it that makes me so beautiful, then?"

For a moment, Artemis stood gobsmacked. Holly and he had always shared good banter, but she had **never** flirted with him before.

"Come on Holly, this is ridiculous" Artemis laughed. "It's lunchtime-let's walk down to the pub by the river and have a bite-their chef's pasta is truly exquisite."

"Ok Arty" Holly, still fake-swooning, grinned "but not until you tell me what it is you like about me".

"For goodness sake Holly, I was being polite" Artemis, now slightly annoyed by Holly's immaturity, retorted-failing to notice Holly's sudden blanch at his words.

"Only a nicety'. The words stung, and somewhere deep down Holly felt a pain, that, even though she thought Artemis moderately handsome, she just couldn't find a reason for.

"Fine" the elf pouted, turning her back on the teenager. "I'll call Foaly and tell him I'll be back sooner than expected-after all, I can't possibly stay with someone who doesn't fully appreciate me."

"Oh for goodness sake, ok" Artemis sighed. "Your ability to exasperate me patience is clearly undiminished." Holly's sweet smile was answer enough.

"Naturally" holly confirmed "I'm the most wonderful girl you've ever met."

"Something like that" Artemis muttered under his breath.

"Come on then Arty" Holly giggled, enjoying the way Artemis squirmed when she contracted his name. "'Fess up, what is it about me that makes me so wonderful?"

Artemis hesitated for a moment, before turning quickly and sitting down in a high-backed leather armchair opposite Holly. "Why are you even interested" he asked, a twinge of annoyance and discomfort rising in his voice that Holly did not fail to notice.

"Oh Artemis, a girl always likes to have her ego massaged" Holly drawled laconically "go on then-spill,"

"Well" Artemis began, stopping to move a raven black lock behind his right ear "you're hair has always been kind of pretty". He stopped as Holly began to twirl an auburn strand in her fingers, sucking on the tip before deftly flicking it away.

"Uh huh" she nodded "go on."

"Your eyes" the boy continued. "They're such a lovely hazel colour-It's been nice having one to look at all the time."

"Oh Artemis, that's so sweet" Holly cooed. "And?"

"And…And…And that's…that's it…really" he stuttered into silence. Holly pondered. Since meeting Artemis, she had seen him display almost every emotion. Even though he strived to control them, she had always been able to read the wunderkind's emotional tells. But this was the first time she had ever seen him at all nervous. Certainly, he had been scared when confronted with the troll-infested temple. And he had been frustrated when he had had difficulty solving the problems his relationship with the LEP had thrown up. But Holly had never seen Artemis nervous before.

There was a soft groan, as Artemis pulled himself up out of his chair-and realised that a comfortable silence had overcome them for almost a minute. "So, to dinner then". His smile was forced, and Holly could almost see the invisible armour closing around him, shutting his emotions off from the world.

"Oh". He turned, as through remembering something that had, in the moment, been forgotten. "And your temper. I'm always so calm-it's good when I'm around you-you're so free with your emotions. I like being reminded of that. Even if it does involve a buzz-baton."

He continued down the stairs, picking a black jacket from the coatstand next to the door. Holly pondered his words; her temper had certainly got her into trouble on more than once occasion. She was a hot-headed spitfire-the antithesis of Artemis' iceman. The symmetry pleased her. 'But the thing is' Holly thought, a warm feeling spreading through her, 'any iceman can be melted with a little heat'.


	4. Time's a Wastin'

A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing A Strange Land of Which I Knew NothingChapter 4-Time's a Wastin'

**Thankyou to everyone who's commented on the story so far, it's really good to see you enjoy my work. Sorry again for the long time in updating-exam time is upon me so it's been difficult. I should be able to post more frequently from now on, however. With response to some comments on the previous chapter I do feel Holly was a little OOC, and for this I apologise. I was trying to show Artemis can be loosened up & has changed since we saw him last. Also, this is not a 'gradually Holly & Arty fall in love' fic. I think that within the books, they're 3 quarters of the way there already-they just need to realise how they feel. Many Thanks, Enjoy and don't forget to post a review once you've done!!**

There was a smoking ban in place. Apparently. Had anyone not familiar with the doings of the Irish Health Ministry entered the pub, however, they would have remained blissfully unaware of that completely irrelevant fact.

In a secluded side corner of the establishment, a young redheaded woman coughed on the noxious grey swirls that made her throat feel like the sole of a troll's foot. "This…cough…is quite…cough…disgusting" Holly Short choked out. "Commander Root's stuff wasn't pot pourri but it didn't make me retch like this".

"Quite" Artemis Fowl the Second agreed. "Then again, nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide never did make the best tasting cocktail-even if they do have many of the same addictive and toxic effects as alcohol".

"And you people breathe this stuff in willingly?" The elf gasped, an expression of incredulity at such obvious stupidity etched on her face. No response was possible, as the waiter brought their drinks-Iced water for Holly, and a half pint of cider for Artemis, along with the menus. Artemis' eyes immediately began to peruse the Pasta and seafood sections, but Holly seemed to be confused by the selections.

"Having trouble deciding?" Artemis enquired, his silent smile played in his lilting Irish tones.

"Yes. Well, no. Erm…sort of" Holly confessed. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of half of these dishes before, and I must have something vegetarian".

"How's that?" Artemis enquired, his curiosity piqued at how Holly's understanding of food was lacking with regards to human cuisine.

"Well, in the Lower Elements we don't have that many vegetables as they need sunlight" Holly explained. "We eat a lot more fungi-based food and no meat as it's unethical".

"I see" Artemis nodded, his inquisitive nature temporarily sated. "Well why not try the lemon risotto, or the tomato and basil tortellini? They're both excellent".

"May I take your order, sir?" the returning waiter enquired.

"Yes, you may" Artemis replied, turning to Holly expectantly.

"I'll have the Lemon risotto, please" the elf answered.

"And I'll have the chilli glazed tuna with spicy paella" Artemis completed the order.

"Excellent choices, Madame, Sir" the waiter assured them, "they'll be coming right up".

Artemis was opening his mouth to speak when another voice rang out across the pub.

"Well, look who it isn't! Little Lord Arty come down to visit us mere mortals!"

Artemis cursed under his breath as a blonde haired, musclebound teenager strutted across the room towards his and Holly's table.

"Who is he?" she whispered urgently.

"James O'Kearney" he replied "captain of the local rugby team and as stupid as they come".

"Well well arty boy" said O'Kearney, a twisted grin playing across his features. "Whatch'a doing down here eh?" Decided to come down to earth from that big freaking mansion of yours, have ya?"

"No, actually" Artemis drawled "I'm observing the local gorilla population".

"Gorilla what?" O'Kearney shouted. "Are you out of your fuckin mind-there ain't no gorillas round here!"

"Glad to see we agree" Artemis grinned, the joke apparent only to him. "They're everywhere-big, lumbering, smelly apes with tiny brains and smaller dicks."

Holly could no longer hold in her laughter, and snorted some of her water, which she had been in the process of swallowing, into her glass. "Sorry-not feeling very well" she explained to the perplexed O'Kearney.

"Whatever, freak" the boy shot back. "And if you every get tired of him and want a real man, gorgeous" he said to Holly, "I'm always around".

"I'll think about it" Holly smiled sweetly back. He was, Holly decided, a bit of an arse. 'His looks means he's never had to use his brains around girls' she thought. As she looked up, Holly saw Artemis giving O'Kearney's retreating back a glare that, if looks could kill, would have left him stone dead several times over.

As their food arrived, music started to play from the back of the pub. Holly instantly recognised it as one of her favourite songs-one of the few that could get the Neutrino-toting, locker-room proclaimed 'stiffest girl in Haven' to get even a little teary eyed.

Holly remembered, being carried back nearly 70 years on the opening strains of Bryan Adam's 'We're in Heaven'.

Holly Short had never met her father. According to her mother, he had been a hotshot LEP officer who had been transferred to Atlantis shortly after he and Holly's mother had met. When she had discovered she was pregnant with her one and only child, Diana Grubble had immediately tried to contact him. No response ever came. After years of searching for him, Diana finally found a contact number buried in the records of the tax office where she worked. When she had called, the communicator had been answered by a lady introducing herself as Mrs Harriet Short. From then on, Diana had led a solitary life. Elven single parenthood was almost unheard of.

When Holly was 10, the phone had rung again. A soothing, gentle male voice had asked if her mother was available and if he could talk to her. It was later explained that the Shorts had temporarily separated and that her father wanted to see her mother again. All Day before he arrived, Diana had been unable to control her precociously excitable daughter, boundlessly enthusiastic at finally getting to meet her daddy. As they arrived at Haven Shuttleport, LEP and Haven Emergency Rescue vehicles surrounded the area, the confusion and smoke was unbearable and nobody seemed to know what was going on. It later turned out that a terrible accident had occurred, and a shuttle had been hit by a falling giant stalactite, disabling its control systems. The ensuing crash, the worst in nearly 2000 years, had killed all 261 crew and passengers onboard, as well as 73 ground crew and passengers in and around the main shuttleport building. It was not until 2 weeks after the event the LEP confirmed that Captain Peter Short, LEP Atlantis division, was among the names on the passenger manifest.

The funeral had been a tense affair. Harriet Short and Holly's half brother, Michael, had walked behind the coffin while Holly and her mother had been forced to watch from a distance. No doubt the striking resemblance between Holly and her father further antagonised Harriet. The strong jaw, and auburn hair, the hazel eyes-were all those of her father. As the fine Maplewood coffin had been lowered into the private incinerator, the strains of Bryan Adams had rung across the marble crematorium.

Fate, it seemed, had yet dealt Holly a crueller hand than denying the young elf her father. After Peter Short's death, Holly's mother slipped further and further into depression. The stigma of being a single parent, and the refusal of the Short family to accept her daughter had broken Diana Grubble's spirit. At 5:23am (the soonest available slot in the crematorium timetable), the melodies that had accompanied the passing of her father had, via holly's tinny third-hand disc player, been her mother's only fanfare, aside from the sobs of a heartbroken daughter, into the incinerator. Just one more nondescript matchboard coffin on a conveyor belt of mourning. From that day on, Holly vowed she would prove she was every inch a Short, by besting her father in his own field. Aged 19, she became the youngest ever LEP recruit, and began a meteoric rise through the ranks.

Holly's eyes refocused on the candle in front of her, as she saw two coffins disappearing into flames. Her hearing adjusted just in tie to hear a rather inebriated blonde girl launch into the chorus.

"She has all the vocal attributes of an injured rhinoceros" remarked Artemis, dryly.

"True" agreed Holly "It's a shame she had to pick such a good song to murder". Artemis nodded. "Bryan Adams is quite clearly one of the greatest singer songwriters of the last century"

"I don't know" Holly said "Johnny Cash was very good-I saw him live at Disneyworld in California".

"Was that the 1999 anniversary concert" Artemis enquired?

"1959" Holly grinned back at him. "Well before your time". Artemis decided that he would never get used to Holly, who looked barely 16, being old enough to be his mother several times over.

As he smiled at her, a voice boomed out across the pub once more. "Thankyou very much Donna…a, err…new interpretation of Bryan Adams' classic love song…beautiful. So revellers" he continued as Donna half-climbed, half-fell from the stage, "do we have any more entrants for this months 'king of karaoke' competition?"

"Come on Artemis" Holly laughed enthusiastically "let's have a go".

"No Thankyou" replied Artemis, remaining steadfastly in his seat. "I have no wish to debase myself in public in such a manner".

'And I thought you'd loosened up a bit' though Holly "come on Arty, please" she whined, enjoying the look on his face to hear her using his mother's pet name "you can't be anywhere near as bad as the last one".

"I will still decline, thankyou" the young Irishman replied "but by all means, you go ahead. I'll stay hear and listen".

"Ok-don't go anywhere" Holly shot over her shoulder as she rushed over to the MC. "I'd like to have a go please" she piped.

"Ok then, up here" said the MC, giving her a hand up onto the makeshift stage, "are you with anybody tonight?"

"She's singing with me" said a voice. Holly turned to see James O'Kearney strutting across the stage towards her.

"I see" said the MC "and what will you be singing?"

"Time's a wasting by June Carter & Johnny Cash" O'Kearney replied, flashing Holly a smile and gazing pointedly at her chest. Holly returned an equally simpering smile, walked towards the mic, and began to sing.

'_**Now I've got arms  
and I got arms  
let's get together and use those arms  
Let's go  
Times a wastin'**_

James came closer to Holly, brushing her side with his right arm.__

_**I've got lips  
and you've got lips  
let's get together and use those lips.  
Let's go  
Times a wastin**_

James began to hold holly from behind, and holly could feel a small lump pressing into her bum.__

_**The cakes no good if you don't mix the batter and bake it  
And loves just a bubble if you don't take the trouble to make it  
So if your free to go with me, I'll take you wuicker than 1, 2, 3  
Let's go  
Times a wastin**_

As the instrumental began, James ran his arms over Holly's front, and tried to feel her left breast. Enough, Holly decided, was enough.

The force of the slap could be felt throughout the pub. Holly jumped down off the stage, walking through the pub towards the entrance, looking for Artemis. The young Irishman, however, was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for your friend, Missy?" the Landlord asked as she looked about helplessly

"Yes" Holly replied, a touch of annoyance creeping into her voice. "Do you know where he might have gone?"

"Try Anthony's Rock, 'bout a mile out of town" the Landlord replied ,continuing to wipe down the bar "the big feller who came to pick him up last time he were in said he goes up there to think, like".

"Thankyou" said Holly, rushing out of the door.

As Holly came to the summit of the rock, 15 minutes later, her head was buzzing with annoyance. Why would Artemis leave her, alone, in an unfamiliar place like that?

She stopped as a dark shape loomed out of the evening gloom. It was Artemis, sitting on the ledge at the edge of the mound, feet swinging freely in the breeze.

"Artemis" said Holly, softly.

"Oh, there you are" Artemis replied, the old sneer from his younger years as her enemy markedly back in his voice. "Finished your fun with O'Kearney already?"

"What?" holly asked, astonished by Artemis' display of hat could only be called jealousy.

"I saw you" Artemis sneered, his mismatching eyes narrowed into slits "you certainly looked like you were enjoying yourself up there".

A crack echoed across the valley below. Artemis raised his hand to his cheek, feeling the raw red goosepimples where Holly had slapped him.

"You think I enjoyed being felt up by a smelly drunk arsehole with a hard-on and beer breath?" Holly shouted, incredulous at Artemis' rudeness.

"No, no-when you put it like that"

"Yes-like that" Holly screamed "you rude, arrogant little idiot!"

"Holly, please" Artemis pleaded, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. It's just-O'Kearney has done that with so many before, and they've all loved it and…well…you can guess what he did when he tired of them".

"Well I'm not one of them" the elf assured him, her anger abated by the abject look in Artemis' eyes "and I did offer you the chance to sing with me before he barged in".

"You did" Artemis admitted. "I'm sorry, I'm just not comfortable doing something like singing in front of people".

"I understand" Holly smiled, embracing Artemis around the shoulders "But Artemis"

"Yes?"

"Could you do one thing for me?"

"Maybe" Artemis answered, unsure of what Holly had in mind/

"Will you sing for me?" He wanted to say no. He really did. But seeing one of his own eyes looking back at him, with such an imploring expression of hope, he felt he had no choice.

"Very well". Artemis got to his feet, cast one look over the valley, the town and Fowl Manor spread out below them. He turned to Holly, looked deep into her one hazel and one electric blue eyes, and began to sing.

**Thankyou for Reading, hope you enjoyed it! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Music of the Night

A/N: Thankyou to everybody who reviewed the previous chapter, so far I think it's the best of all the ones I've written

**A/N: Thankyou to everybody who reviewed the previous chapter, so far I think it's the best of all the ones I've written. Here's the new one, so enjoy and don't forget to post a review.**

Holly gazed into Artemis' mismatching eyes. The world seemed to slow as a melodic, dulcet tone surrounded her.

_**Night-time sharpens,  
heightens each sensation  
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination  
Silently the senses abandon their defences ...**_

The music brought a warmth to Holly's skin. Artemis could certainly sing. As the note ended, Holly shivered involuntarily, amazed by the beauty of what she heard. As Artemis walked around her, he continued…

Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendour  
Grasp it, sense it - tremulous and tender

Holly turned to look at Artemis, but an elegant, somewhat bony hand prevented her, manoeuvring her head with the back of his fingers as Holly closed her eyes

_**  
Turn your face away  
from the garish light of day,  
turn your thoughts away  
from cold, unfeeling light –**_

The hand relented, and Holly's head turned towards the voice, following the warmth against her cheek

_**  
and listen to the music of the night ...  
**_

Her eyes flittered open, to reveal Artemis, eyes closed, a few mere inches from her face. As she moved forward towards his lips, his eyes snapped open, and the gentle tones were replaced by a more commanding, powerful (and yet, noted Holly, shocked and surprised) tone.

_**  
Close your eyes and surrender to your  
darkest dreams!  
Purge your thoughts of the life  
you knew before!**_

Artemis' hand was on her stomach, a gentle but warm presence. And something deep inside Holly wanted to keep it there, for it never to be gone from that place on her skin.

_**  
Close your eyes,  
let your spirit start to soar!**_

Artemis hand was rising above her, and though her closed eyes could not see it, her soul felt it's movement. Artemis voice pierced, yet was one with the night-the high note soothing, yet exciting.

_**  
And you'll live  
as you've never lived before ...**_

The hands came to rest on her shoulders, and Holly leant on the right hand, her body aching for more.

Softly, deftly,  
music shall caress you ...  
Feel it, hear it,  
secretly possess you ...

Artemis body was pressing against Holly's back, his arms surrounding hers, his nose at her neck. Slowly, Holly began to turn towards him.

_**  
Open up your mind,  
let your fantasies unwind,  
in this darkness which  
you know you cannot fight -  
the darkness of the music of the night ...**_

Once again, Artemis began to pace around her, his eyes boring into her own. Hazel to hazel, blue to blue.

Let your mind start a journey  
through a strange new world!  
Leave all thoughts  
of the world you knew before!

Artemis hands came to rest, clasped in front of him, the earnestness in his eyes unmistakeable.

_**  
Let your soul take you where you  
long to be !**_

The note was exhilarating. Loud and pure, burning into the night, burning into Holly. She trembled under its power.

_**  
Only then can you belong to me ...  
**_

Strong arms surrounded her again, as Holly became aware of just how tired she was. The arms swayed her gently from side to side, lulling her as a hand ran through her auburn locks.

_**  
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication!  
Touch me, trust me savour each sensation!**_

Artemis pulled her to face him, the what he could not say in words being said in looks and in song

_**  
Let the dream begin,  
let your darker side give in  
to the power of the music that I write -  
the power of the music of the night ...**_

The music, the scene, Holly's drowsiness all overcame her. In a moment that would have shamed her had this been any normal moment, the LEP commander's knees gave way beneath her. Before she could hit the ground, however, the strong arms caught her beneath her knees and shoulders, and a gentle rocking told her that Artemis was carrying her. The warmth of his arms overcame Holly, and she drifted into slumber._**  
**_

Opening the door to Fowl Manor's grand suite, Artemis laid Holly on the bed, before pulling back the sheet and laying it over her. Her hair fanned out across the pillow, a vision of red contrasting the pale-skinned elf and pointy ears. Artemis right hand brushed a strand of hair from the cheek of the girl who lay in his bed. Maybe it was rash, maybe it was the moment. But Artemis could not feel more right as he bent low, pressing a kiss to the sleeping elf's forehead. As he backed towards the door, he sang once again.

_**  
You alone can make my song take flight -  
help me make the music of the night . . .**_

Artemis sat at his computer, checking the results he had been waiting for. Since Holly's arrival, he had been utterly distracted from the task in hand-when she was there, his projects did not seem to be so worthy, or important after all. He checked the slide viewer again, the blue light reflecting against his face. A sigh escaped his lips. It was true then. There was no going back. In an uncharacteristically human gesture, he ran a finger through the silken black locks, only to stop suddenly. So it had begun. He had maybe a few weeks. 'Holly' Artemis though to himself 'I must tell Holly, before she finds out by herself'. Switching off the PC, he got up and closed the door behind him, before making his way to the unoccupied guest suite. The situation had just got a lot more complicated.

**DUH DUH DUH!! So what did you think readers-hook for next chapter or what? Please read and review, as I really appreciate comments on what I've done so far. Thankyou for reading and I hope you enjoy what you've seen so far. Oh, and if I haven't already mentioned it PLEASE POST A REVIEW NOW!!**

**P.S. the early part of the chapter is no substitute for the real thing. To get a good idea of what is going on search 'earl carpenter music of the night' on youtube, and select the fifth result. **


	6. When You're Gone

A Strange Land of Which I Knew Nothing: Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Big sorry for not updating sooner, A Levels, Holiday etc. have gotten in the way. I think a monthly update is reasonable, so will try and stick to this schedule. A big thankyou to everyone who has taken the time to review, it really makes me happy to know you like the story. On that note, please write as much as you can-it will help me maintain the quality of the story and let me know what you like and what you don't. Finally, a personal thankyou to Promethius, who pm'd me-thankyou very much, you flatter me. I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Please read & Review. Enjoy!!**

As Holly's eyes fluttered open and the cogs of her mind began to turn over, a sense of utter, warm contentment spread throughout her. Without question, her first night in Fowl Manor had been the best night's sleep she'd had in a very long time. The warmth of the sheets, the softness of the pillow, and the smell-that was at once familiar and strange at the same time-Artemis' smell on his own bed-wrapped her up in an invisible cocoon of comfort. In that one moment, Holly felt safer and more relaxed than she had at any time since her mother's passing.

The lock on the door clicked, and the master of the house passed through the entrance into the bedroom. "I see you're awake" Artemis said, a smile blossoming on his face as he set a tray down next to the bed.

"Great observation genius" Holly shot back. "So, I wake up feeling drowsy in some guy's bed-what did we get up to last night?" Holly wiggled her eyebrows, enjoying the blush that quickly covered Artemis' smile.

"Must you have such a dirty mind" he said, unable to keep the embarrassed tone out of his voice "you fell asleep, so I carried you back here."

"Wow, I'd never have believed it" Holly joked "Artemis Fowl-Ireland's very own Don Juan." The scowl on Artemis' face would have been imposing, were it not for the fact that he was unable to stop the corners of his mouth twitching upwards as he fought back a laugh. "So what culinary delights have you managed to whip up for me?" Holly asked as she sat up, eyes peering towards the tray.

"Oat granola and fresh pineapple for you" Artemis smirked "and a full Ulster breakfast for me".

"How did you know?" Holly demanded, though not without satisfaction that Artemis had brought what she liked "filthy meat eater" she added, as Artemis speared a bacon rasher with his fork.

"A good businessman never reveals his sources" he replied quickly; "and I don't suppose the council would be too happy to find a human hacking into the Haven communications grid. I got mind-wiped once, I have no intention of letting it happen a second time".

Holly nodded. Watching the suppression, or rather more the destruction of the Artemis she knew had been one of the hardest things her job had made her do. But the LEP officer's mantra was clear, 'duty first, everything else second'.

"They sure wouldn't" she agreed "especially when said human has taken half a ton of gold off them, made the LEP look like fools having saved their asses countless times, and has in his possession a copy of the book". She took a breath. "I think we can safely say you're the last person they want to hear from right now".

"Oh I don't know" the teenager railed. "What about Cudgeon & Koboi? I can't imagine that two coup plotters would be too welcome in Haven."

"S'pose so" Holly conceded "but they were one-plot wonders. You've been a depraved lunatic out to destroy the fairy world for years now."

"Not destroy, never" Artemis shook his head gravely "exploit ruthlessly-much better for business".

"And so much better" Holly laughed "Whatever you say, you're still an awfully bad man".

"Really?" Artemis raised a single eyebrow. "Bad bad, or good bad?"

"Hmmmm" Holly wondered "good bad".

"Ha" Artemis' laugh had a ringing quality Holly had not previously noticed "knew you'd say that. Bet if I tied you up you'd enjoy it this time".

Artemis ducked as a crimson Harrods slipper flew past his head and hit a bookcase. "Tosser" mumbled Holly, slipping back under the covers, her breakfast finished "go away and let me have my beauty sleep."

"Because you need all of that you can get" chuckled Artemis. The young Irishman was safely on the other side of the door by the time the second crimson slipper joined its pair.

Butler had to admit, after years at the top of his profession, as one of the most feared men in the human world (and quite possibly fairy world too), he was starting to feel his age. Sure, he still **looked** imposing, but the Kevlar woven into his chest and the tribulations of his adventures with Artemis had taken their toll. For the last few months he had been doing less and less and less. Artemis would tend to worry for his health.

The control box for camera 4 was proving a really tough nut to crack. High up on one of the medieval watchtowers, it had been installed to observe what had previously been a blind spot in the Manor's surveillance network. Butler would never forget the day a precocious 6 year old Artemis walked into one of his parents' dinner parties and proceeded to inform his father (in rather less than hushed tones) the shortcomings of the multimillion dollar security system.

But now, thought Butler, Artemis' replacements needed replacing. For a certified genius, Artemis did sometimes make elementary mistakes in the small print. The new iron alloy he had created for the installation was stronger than steel and lighter than titanium. The only problem with it was that it rusted in the wet and warped in the heat. The general upshot of which being that Butler could not now open the control box. 'A small feather in the right place will bring down a skyscraper' his mother had once said. Butler never anticipated he would understand the truth of that saying while doing CCTV maintenance. 'But then again' the manservant thought 'as demolitions advice, it's not so good'.

Thinking back to the dinner party, it seemed endemic of everything in Artemis' life it had preceded. Gifted with sensational intelligence he might be, but his social skills were lacking to say the least. Throughout school he'd had no friends, partly due to the resentment his ability caused and partly due to the arrogance it had bred within him. School after school had asked him to leave, and though Butler had offered several times to homeschool Artemis, Fowl Senior had refused every time. 'Kicking a boy out for being too intelligent' had been his constant refrain.

Even Minerva, whose intelligence was a near to Artemis' as could be found could not build a friendship with him. Artemis might be a genius, but Butler knew that great ability did not make him impervious to loneliness. "And he will get lonely" thought the manservant "with only the ghosts of the manor and an ageing bodyguard for company".

In fact, since Minerva left for Italy six months ago (a departure which involved a string of Italian oaths, complaints about Artemis' trying to overshadow her and a promise never to return) he had hardly left the Manor grounds. Yet since Holly Short had arrived, he had been his old self again. Butler would wager than Artemis had smiled more in the past 48 hours than in the past 48 days. Something about the auburn-haired elf seemed to bring Artemis out of his shell, though they were polar opposites in almost every way. Artemis planned meticulously, Holly rushed in headstrong; Holly was loud & bubbly, Artemis quiet and reserved. But Holly was the only person to every truly beat Artemis, and maybe it was that that changed him. Butler wondered if Holly had understood when he said that the young man upstairs wasn't Artemis Fowl II, but someone else entirely. 'I sure hope she sticks around awhile' thought Butler 'because Artemis without Holly Short in his life is a dreary prospect for everyone'.

Artemis was hunched over his computer. The data he'd gone over last night had proved no more positive in the cold light of day. And the dreams…the dreams had returned. "How the hell are you supposed to concentrate when you're this tired, Artemis?" he said, thinking aloud. With a push he thrust himself out of the chair and headed for the study door, picking up a CD of some of his favourite relaxing music as he did so. For a brief moment, he thought of shutting the terminal down. 'It'll still be there when you get back' was the last thought that passed through his mind before he flicked off the light switch and closed the door. Artemis' footfalls were soft on the cream carpet as he headed back to his bedroom.


End file.
